Working meeting of the presidents of constitutional courts – members of the Association of Constitutional Justice of the Countries of the Baltic and Black Sea Regions

Working meeting of the presidents of constitutional courts – members of the Association of Constitutional Justice of the Countries of the Baltic and Black Sea Regions

On February 13, 2017 the working meeting of the presidents of the constitutional courts – members of the Association of Constitutional Justice of the Countries of the Baltic and Black Sea Regions (BBCJ) which is chaired by the Constitutional Court of Ukraine this year, was held at the Constitutional Court of Ukraine.

The meeting was attended by the Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine Yurii Baulin, President of the Constitutional Court of Georgia Zaza Tavadze, President of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Lithuania Dainius Žalimas, President of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Moldova Alexandru Tănase, judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine Stanislav Shevchuk, Serhii Vdovichenko, Victor Kolisnyk, Oleksandr Tupytskyi, professor of Law Faculty of Ilia State University, President of the Constitutional Court of Georgia (2006-2016) George Papuashvili, Head of the Secretariat of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine Yaroslav Vasylkevych, Secretary General of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Lithuania Ingrida Danėlienė, Secretary General of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Moldova Rodica Secrieru, Head of Office of the Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine Maryna Arshevska, Head of International Relations Department of the Secretariat of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine Olga Kravchenko.

The meeting was devoted to preparation of the General Assembly and the Second Congress of the Association, expansion of the Association as well as important aspects of constitutional justice. It was determined, that the Second Congress will be held in May 2017 in Kharkiv, Ukraine, and will be devoted to the role of constitutional courts in the developing of the provisions of national constitutions in the context of the generally recognised principles and norms of international law and EU law, judgments of international courts.

Among the issues considered during the meeting, the most urgent is still independence of the constitutional courts, observance of norms and principles of international law, implementation of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights into domestic law. President of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Lithuania Dainius Žalimas, stressing the need to resolve the mentioned issues in the context of application of the European achievements in this sphere, noted on the importance of their discussion in the framework of the Conference of European Constitutional Courts and the World Conference on Constitutional Justice.

Speaking about promoting the dialogue on constitutional jurisdiction, President of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Moldova Alexandru Tănase emphasised the possibility of sharing experiences in constitutional justice between the member-courts of the Association in the frame of amicus curiae institute, which has been successfully applied in many European countries.

During the meeting, it was decided to establish the printed body of the Association – “Journal of the Association of Constitutional Justice of the Countries of the Baltic and Black Sea Regions.” The journal, which will highlight current issues of constitutional justice and constitutional law, will be useful for constitutionalists, judges, civil servants, scholars, lawyers, interns, professors and university students from the countries which courts participate in the Association, noted the Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine.

Note. The beginning of the Association’s activities was the signing of the Declaration on its establishment by the presidents of the Constitutional Courts of Ukraine, Georgia, Lithuania and Moldova on October 2015 in Vilnius. According to this document, the member-courts recognise the need to strengthen the independence of constitutional courts as the main factor in guaranteeing the supremacy of Constitution, democracy and the rule of law. According to the decision of the General Assembly of the Association, from January 1, 2017 the Constitutional Court of Ukraine holds the presidency in the Association.